‘Issues develop between hockey team selectors, manager’

Manager of the Pakistan senior team and former Olympian Hanif Khan will decide soon whether or not to remain associated with the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) after developing differences with the national selection committee over the selection of players for the upcoming Azlan Shah Cup to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia.

According to sources, Hanif is not happy with the selectors over the induction of one Karim Khan into the national squad and dropping his nephew Haseem Khan apart from being in discord with them over dropping of 10 senior players in order to raise a new-look team.

On the other hand, the training camp has been in progress at the National Hockey Stadium but the team manager Hanif has left it for Karachi to take part in Chehlum activities of his wife who died a few days before his appointment as manager of the Pakistan team.

Hanif's act to depart for Karachi is being dubbed as "his protest against the selection committee."

When contacted, head coach Khawaja Junaid rubbished the reports that the team manager has left the camp in protest against the selectors, stating that Hanif would return to see the last match between Pakistan Seniors and Juniors scheduled to be held in Lahore on March 31.

The head coach said Pakistan captain Rashad Mahmood and Rizwan Senior would also join the camp after March 31 as they were playing league hockey in Europe for which they had sought the NOC from the PHF.

Both had requested their respective clubs in Europe to relieve them for the Azlan Shah Cup, Junaid maintained.